Opposites
by Imaginary Cookie
Summary: Mira and Luke were complete opposites. She was human in every way. He was a monster in the making. She created beauty. He destroyed it. She was a complete mess. He was a perfectionist. She was an exotic princess. He was the evil dragon. They knew that they would never get anywhere, but they couldn't let go. And that's what doomed them both.
1. Chapter 1

_This was just an idea I had one night. Because, you know, I always imagined Luke as some hot, sexy guy. I really couldn't resist. _

_Please don't steal this story. Please don't. I beg of you._

_Disclaimer__: Obviously, this story doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Rick Riordan, so please don't sue me. I have no money._

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**Mira P.O.V.**

"Freak!"

I ran from the laughter, trying not to cry. The traitorous tears sneaked past my eyelids, trailing down my already wet cheeks. I heard the pounding feet behind me; they were chasing me, as if embarrassing me once wasn't enough.

Why were children so cruel?

I took a sharp left, trying so hard to evade them, but to no avail. I knew that all they had to do was follow the wet trail that I had left behind. There really was no escape. I was approaching the deck, which was the last place I wanted to be.

That was where the monsters were.

Really, they were everywhere, but it seemed that they all grouped to the surface to bask in the Sun's warmth like the reptiles they resembled. It wasn't just the snake women. Large mutts romped around the cruise ship, and I swore I had seen a dragon. Unfortunately, only I had seen these creatures, and the moment I had tried to tell somebody, I was deemed insane.

Most of the time, everybody was in some sort of trance, talking in a monotone voice, acting with stiff motions, as if they were really bad actors, but whenever I came near anybody, they would seem to snap out of their daze.

This was extremely tedious whenever the other kids happened to be near me. It was more than tedious actually; it was downright cruel, as if God was playing some sort of joke on me.

"She went this way!"

The pounding footsteps got closer and I looked around in panic. My eyes landed on a pair of oak doors. They probably led to a stateroom. I glanced around again. Stateroom or deck. Both could contain monsters, but snakes liked sunlight, right? Coldblooded and all that, so it's only logical that they would be upstairs.

I took the chance.

Quickly, I opened the doors and slipped in, shutting them quietly behind me. I pressed my ear against the wood and strained them, trying to hear my pursuers. The footsteps had slowed, back to the lethargic pace of the seemingly possessed passengers.

"We are playing tag." I heard a monotone voice state.

"Yes." Another bland voice joined it. "We are very lucky to have won this trip. We are having so much fun."

I stayed silent as the footsteps faded away, finally letting out a sigh of relief. I suddenly remembered where I was. Pins and needles had started to poke my neck, as if somebody was watching me. A sense of dread filled me as I slowly turned around, finding myself face to face with the point of a sword.

* * *

**Luke P.O.V.**

"You are sssure that he will come?"

At first, they were a suitable ally, the Dracaenae, but they had quickly become tedious, always doubting me. As if Kronos hadn't picked me himself!

"Yes," I snapped at the Dragon Woman. "I am positive. Jackson can't resist that chance to play hero. He will come."

The monster reeled back at my harsh tone, before giving me a thin smile. She did her strange walk, or slither, I wasn't quite sure which it was, around the room, stopping before the Golden Coffin.

"Know your place Demigod." The Dragon Woman hissed. "You may have been chosssen by the Titan Lord, but I will not hesssitate to show you where you stand."

I stood up, drawing Backbiter from its scabbard. "And I will not hesitate to show you where _you_ stand. You answer to me. You take your orders from_ me_."

The Dracaenae sent me a bitter look before nodding. She slither-walked out of the room, shutting the doors behind her. When the oak doors closed, I collapsed onto the sofa, carelessly flinging my sword next to me. I was so tired.

I stared at the coffin, trying to think back. When was it that I decided hated the Gods?

"You said you would help me," I told the coffin. "You promised me revenge."

_And you said you would not fail the first time._ The cold voice suffocated me. I had heard it many times, yet I could never get used to it. _But you did. I would be patient Luke. I would not rush into battle when I know nothing of the enemy._

"I know everything about Percy Jackson! I know everything about Annabeth! I know everything about them!"

_Yes, but what about the Cyclops. What do you know about him? You are too reckless Luke. Too brash. Calm yourself and be patient, only then will you get your revenge._

"Yes my lord." I bowed my head, giving a soft sigh of relief when his cold presence left the room. I lifted my head again, to stare at the coffin. So much trouble. Was it really worth it?

_Yes._

I sighed again, rubbing my forehead with my fingers. So much trouble.

I crumpled into the plush sofa, trying to find relief in my thoughts. I closed my eyes, ready to relax, just for a little bit. The cushions seemed to hug me, pulling me down into their softness.

Then the door opened. Quickly, I shot up, grabbing for Backbiter. I scanned the room, my eyes landing on the small petite girl, who was quietly shutting the door. She didn't even look around, simply keeping her focus on the slabs of wood in front of her.

She had her eyes closed tightly, one ear pressed against the oak door. A minute passed. Then two. I had silently got up, cornering her, so that when she turned around, she would be trapped.

She was mortal, I was positive, yet for some reason, she wasn't affected by the mist or the mind numbing spell we had placed on everybody. She was soaked, water dripped from her body. Her hair clung to her face and her back, her breathing was soft and quiet. Porcelain skin clashed against the darkness of her hair, and I couldn't help but wonder what color her eyes were. Were they the electric blue that Thalia had possessed?

She let out a quiet sigh of relief, before stiffening. Slowly she turned around, her eyes flashing open. Backbiter was pointed directly between her eyes. They crossed to stare at the blade, and I stared at them.

They were not blue. They were the color of autumn leaves and hot chocolate, a deep brown with hints of gold mixed in.

They were the most beautiful I had ever seen.

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_Hope you enjoyed. Please review, I love CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK. Not trash talk._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello! So, I'd like to thank __ObsessedwReading__ for your review and for following my story :D. It means a lot to me._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Percy Jackson series. I never will. *sigh*_

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**Mira P.O.V.**

I screamed. I screamed and screamed and screamed. The swordsman's hand wavered, his blade shook with it. It scratched the tip of my nose, scraping off a bit of skin. I screamed louder. The doors were pressed against my back, my hands fumbling for the door knob. The swordsman tried to quiet me, his free hand waving in the air, motioning to be quiet. Still I screamed.

Then I fell. The doors were yanked open, taking away my support. I tumbled into the body behind me. A grunt sounded as my head slammed into a chest. Two arms wrapped around my neck, stabling me, but the muscles were tense. A clear sign of danger. Whoever caught me was no hero.

"So you get to have whores, too?" A tense chuckle rippled through the body behind me, sending vibrations up my spine. "What other gifts have you received from Kronos?"

The swordsman sheathed his sword. He glared at the man behind me. That was when I noticed the scar. The pale pink line ran from the bottom of his right eye down to his chin. His blue eyes flashed when he noticed my stare. I looked down, embarrassed, my face turning pink.

"She's just a mortal." The swordsman replied curtly. "Kronos has not been giving me any gifts, at least none that you are unaware of."

"Really? Well, then I guess I can keep her."

The swordsman snarled. "Stand down Chris. The mortals are only here to keep Jackson from blowing up the ship, not for your personal amusement."

A finger traced my lips. I shivered and started to struggle.

"I'm just joking Luke, calm down." The arms released me, dropping me back onto the floor. I found myself staring at a pair of loafers. Fancy.

The swordsman, Luke, was not convinced. His eyes narrowed, making his scar seem larger, more menacing. But I couldn't help but notice how his blonde hair glowed in the light and how his lean, muscular form filled his clothed just right.

_God, I'm crazy._ I thought to myself. _This man just tried to kill me, and I'm thinking about how hot he is. Crazy, crazy, crazy._

"Why are you here Chris?"

I slowly crawled away from the two, before standing up, balancing myself on the wall. The other man, Chris, was dark, calm, mysterious, but definitely dangerous and was currently having a stare off with Luke. I tiptoed away from the men. My shoes made soft squishy noises as they were still wet. In fact, my whole body was still wet, and I was positive that I would have a cold tomorrow.

"I heard the screaming." Chris nodded at me. Luke scowled as he quickly stalked past the Hispanic boy and grabbed me.

"You're not going anywhere." He snarled, pulling me back into the stateroom. I wiggled, trying to escape his grasp, but God, it was tight!

"Hey, chill man. She's just a mortal." Chris plodded after Luke, shutting the door behind them. "No need to skewer her with that messed up sword of yours."

Luke growled again, the feral noise rang through the room. "She can see through the mist. Have you not noticed how she is not affected by the spell?"

Chris studied me, his eyebrow slowly rising. I whimpered as his eyes grew dark. "So this is the mortal that the monsters were talking about?" His eyes assessed me, his calm demeanor now gone, replaced with a cold, calculating look.

Luke threw me onto the couch, not giving me a second glance. "Call the Dracaenae. We'll place her in a holding cell."

"What!" I leapt up from the couch. "I'm not going into a cell!"

Luke turned to glare at me, his icy blue eyes pierced me. "You'll do whatever I tell you to do."

"You're not my mother, you're not my father, and you are certainly not my boss. You have no right whatsoever to try and command me to follow your orders. I am your puppet to control! I am not going into a cell!"

Chris stared at us, his mouth hung open. He quickly closed it, an uncomfortable expression was forming on his face. Luke's face was turning red. If this were a cartoon, then there would probably be smoke coming out of his ears.

"Hey, Luke." Chris spoke up. "I don't think we should put her in the cells. The drakon might eat her."

"Let it."

Chris shook his head, pursing his lips. "The mortals would grow suspicious. We already have enough trouble with the mortals onboard. We don't need officials poking their noses around."

"We'll veil them as well, put them under the daze."

"We don't have enough strength for that. I do not doubt Kronos's abilities, just his limits. We can only push so far, and our master is not at full power yet. We would drain him completely for what, masking our mistake?"

If Chris wasn't making such a good point, and if I hadn't cared so much about my life, I would've piped up and stated that nobody would notice if I had disappeared, after all, I was only another orphan. I had run away before.

Luke rubbed his face with his hand, seemingly tired. "Alright. Where is she staying then? We can't let her run around with the mortals."

Chris shrugged. "Maybe she could stay here. Sleep on the couch or something. You could keep an eye on her."

Luke narrowed his eyes at me, studying my facial expression. I tried to put on a defiant face, or maybe look brave. "You look constipated." He turned back to face Chris, nodding. "Yes, she'll stay in here. I want guards posted at the doors whenever I'm not here. Make sure that she never gets out."

Chris nodded, turning to head out, then paused. "Do you want me to get her some clothes?"

I looked down at my sopping figure, silently praying that Luke would say yes, but he simply shook his head and waved Chris out of the room. I scowled as he turned around to face me. Who the hell did he think he was?

* * *

**Luke P.O.V.**

"There are clothes in the bathroom." I said, waving my hand towards the clothes door. "Just don't let the Drakon get you."

Her face quickly adopted a terrified expression. I laughed and walked away to get the couch ready. I heard her snort softly and whisper under her breath as she stomped inside the room, slamming the door behind her.

I grinned as I laid a few blankets onto the plush couches. A loud shriek rang from the bathroom. The girl ran out, still sopping wet. "What is _that_!" She pointed toward the bathtub.

"It's a bathtub." I stated calmly, still grinning, as I fluffed up the pillows.

She snorted, her hands on her hips. "You know what I'm talking about, don't play dumb."

"No," I turned to face her, a serious expression on my face. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Please enlighten me."

"That _thing_ in the bathtub! What is it!"

I turned back to the couch, a short chuckle escaping my lips. "It's just shedded skin."

"What, from you?"

I laughed again. Mortals where so amusing. "No, not mine. The Drakon's. Have you ever met a snake that didn't shed its skin?"

She sniffed. "I've never _met_ any reptiles. Unlike you, I don't cohort with _monsters_."

Then she turned and flounced back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her again. I quietly sat down, her voice running in my head.

_Unlike you, I don't cohort with monsters._

I had done it so willingly last year, to bring down Jackson. In order to ring down the Gods, I had allied myself with the enemy I was supposed to destroy. They killed and killed and killed, so much more than the Gods had ever. Was I really this desperate?

_Stop it Luke. Stop it, stop it, stop it._

The bathroom door slowly opened. The girl's head poked out, a scowl quickly forming on her lips as she slid out. "What are you still doing here?"

I raised my eyebrow. Feisty.

"Did you expect me to leave?"

Her scowl deepened. "Don't you have monsters to order around? People to kill?"

I shrugged, turning to leave. "Whatever." I called over my shoulder, closing the double doors behind me. Then I set off to find a suitable guard.

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_Thank you for reading. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks to Captain113518931 and serenakuchiki for following my story. n-n_

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**Mira P.O.V.**

The moment Luke shut the door behind him, I felt the pins and needles again. I had thought that he was the cause for this, but that obviously wasn't the case because Luke wasn't here right now.

Somebody was watching me.

I turned around slowly, taking in my surroundings. The room was beautiful, plush and comfortable. A large window overlooked the sea. As I stared out, I swore that I saw horses swimming in the water. A large bed sat in one corner, a table in another. Two plush sofas sat in the middle of the room. It was stunning.

Until I saw the casket.

It sat in the back of the room, golden sunlight filtered in through the window, illuminating the intricate carvings on the sarcophagus. I stepped closer to it, shuddering as I realized what the images represented.

Stories. Old myths that I could barely remember. But the memories were coming back, yet I could tell they weren't mine. They were dark, too dark. And vivid. As if the person had lived through these tragedies.

_Come closer mortal. Come take a quick peek._ The voice entranced me. It wasn't until later that I realized that the voice was in my head.

I stepped forward, dazed. Everything was muddled, smeared. One step closer. Another step. Slowly, I approached the golden sarcophagus, my hand stretched out towards it.

_Good girl._ The voice purred. I reached out, my hands shaky. Something inside me screamed, stop, what are you doing! I ignored the warnings. Something had dulled all my senses, all that mattered was this casket in front of me.

My fingers brushed the lid, sliding over the rigid designs. _Open it. _ I hesitated. _OPEN IT._ Slowly, I pulled my hand away and reached instead for the crack where the lid met the sides. My movements were lethargic, but the voice was pleased, urging me to go on. _Open the box. Open it._

"What are you doing!" The raspy voice snapped me out of the daze. Somewhere far away, I heard a growl of frustration.

I looked up from the sarcophagus, confused. How did I get here? The snake woman looked at me in disgust, in hunger. She gripped a long spear, armor covered her upper body. Her two snake tails moved in a walking-slithering fashion. I stared at them in fascination. How did those work?

"Get away from that!"

I slowly backed away from the casket, my hands held up in surrender. The snake woman approached me, a quick hiss escaping her mouth. I saw the forked tongue dart out and shivered.

"Pesssky mortalsss," The snake woman circled me, her spear only a few inched from my stomach. "If it were up to me, we would ssslaughter you all. Luckily for you, _Luke_ insssissstsss that we ignore you." His name rolled off of her forked tongue, absolute loathing coating the word.

"Can you imagine," She whispered, lowering her spear. "What the world will be like, once you are all gone? Kronosss will reign again. The mortal world will crumble before usss. The few sssurvivorsss of your pathetic ssspeciesss will bow before usss, like they onccce did!"

I shuddered as she leaned in close, her tongue flicking my ear every time she spoke.

"Sssuch a pity that Luke won't let usss eat you. You sssmell absssolutely deliccciousss." She leaned in closer, a wide smile spreading across her face, showing her fangs. "Perhapsss a sssmall _bite_ won't be too much."

I trembled, shoving her away. She snarled as she stumbled back a few steps. Her spear waved around in the air, nearly smacking my face. Hunger filled her eyes as she lunged at me.

For the second time that day, I screamed.

The doors swung open, revealing Luke.

"I told you to stay away from her!" He yelled. I cowered away from the pair. The snake woman was whimpering, trying to make excuses. "Agrius!"

A large bear wearing jeans stepped into the doorway. I studied him. Eight feet tall, at least, and covered in shaggy fur, but there was something distinctly human about him. He peered down at me, his lips peeling back into a smirk, showing off his sharp teeth. I scrambled away from him as well, my back hitting the casket.

"Take her to the Drakon." Luke commanded, swinging his sword.

"No," The snake woman pleaded. "Pleassse! I won't disssobey you again!"

"Of course you won't. Because you'll be dead."

I gasped, shedding away from the image that Luke had saved me. I was suddenly flooded with guilt. Saving me had only cursed another. Luke was no hero.

The bear surged forward, grasping the snake woman and dragging her out of the room.

"Wait," I called, scrambling to my feet and running after them. "Where are you taking her?"

"The Drakon." The bear stated calmly, not looking back. "She will be fed to it."

"What! No, wait!"

Luke clutched my arm, refusing to release me as I unleashed a string of curses, directed at him and the bear, and struggled.

"Why are you killing her! She hasn't done anything!" I cried, still trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"She has violated orders, questioned my leadership, and threatened to start a revolt." Luke listed off emotionlessly. "I have given her fair warning."

He held me to his chest, his grip tense and tight, until the bear and snake woman disappeared.

"The Dracaenae are too restless. This sets a good example. If they dare try to betray me again then they will know what to expect."

I tried not to think about how firm his chest felt. And how ragged his breathing was. And how hot he was. Jesus Christ. This man was a monster built with a model's body.

"You're like Hitler." I suddenly spoke up, making the connection.

"What?"

I pried myself from his grasp and made my way back into the room. I motioned towards the casket as I slumped onto the couch. "I'm guessing that's Kronos? Like the Titan or whatever? You're obviously against something. I'm not sure if it was 'the mortals' or if that was just the monsters, but you are definitely trying to destroy something or _someone_. So like Hitler. And the Jews. Either that or you're all bonkers."

Luke plopped down next to me, rubbing his face, a grimace spreading across his features. "I wish you wouldn't compare me that mortal. I'm not about to cause a genocide. I'm not even going to kill that many people."

I raised my eyebrow, referencing to the snake woman.

"That was an exception."

"Of course. I'm sure all of your kills are just 'exceptions'."

He looked at me, a cold look in his eyes. "I am not a monster!"

"Birds of a feather flock together."

He rolled his eyes before rising out of his seat. "You just don't understand."

"That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard." I put my feet on the cushion where he sat. "I'm sure you can come up with better than that."

He sent me an exasperated look before stalking out of the room, my laughter following him. It was so easy to change him from that monster to this flustered boy.

"I'll be back later. If you're going to nap, you should take the bed."

"I need my stuff." He turned around to face me. I gave him a sheepish smile. "Just thought you'd like to know."

He rolled his eyes, turning back around.

"My period's coming up soon! I need pads!" I called after him, chuckling as I saw the back of his neck go red.

"I'll get your stuff." He growled, slamming the door behind him.

As soon as the door shut, I was sent into giggles which turned into full blown laughter. It was so easy to forget that he was just another monster.

* * *

**Luke P.O.V.**

"You never did tell me your name."

I was sitting on the couch with the girl, sharing a pizza. Our feet were on the table, and we were incredibly relaxed. Today was a break day, everybody seemed so lazy.

It had been a week since she had started staying in my room. Slowly, we had formed a tentative friendship. I was still calling her the Mortal, which I felt slightly bad about now.

"Mira."

"Oh. Cool."

We sat there, the silence stretching out.

"What do you want to do?" She suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" I looked over at her, confusion lacing my voice.

"Like, what do you plan to do with your life? I mean, I know you have this world domination plan now, but before that, what did you want to do?"

"Um…" I trailed off, trying to think back to a time when I didn't hate Hermes. "I don't really think I wanted to be anything."

"Come on," She shoved me lightly. "Seriously. Did you, like never think about this? Didn't you have career day at school? Dress-Up-As-Your-Dream-Job Day?"

"That's an awfully long name for a holiday."

She laughed, punching me in the shoulder. "Seriously, Luke."

"I don't know. I used to think about being a teacher. I was pretty good with kids."

"Really?" She sat up, interested. "What would you teach?"

"Swordsmanship."

"Of course." She snorted, leaning back down, taking a bite out of her pizza. "Nothing normal, like math or science?"

"Science is pathetic."

She raised her eyebrow, asking me to elaborate.

"It's… It's nothing. You wouldn't und-"

"I wouldn't understand." She interrupted, an exasperated look on her face. "God, how do you even know that I wouldn't understand? You know, maybe I would, if you would just _explain_!"

"I don't want to fight about this, Mira." Her name rolled off of my tongue so smoothly, like honey.

"Whatever."

The silence came back, filling up the room again.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her, growing tired of the quiet.

"I want to be a composer." She smiled, a dreamy look filling her face. "Someday, I'm going to write symphonies, ballets, waltzes. All sorts of music. I'll be like Tchaikovsky or Mozart or Beethoven."

"A composer?"

"What! It's a perfectly plausible dream. God, can you imagine? The way the music would just roll out, how the notes would dance in the air. If I could just… I don't know… I just. I want to be able to express myself in a way that I won't be judged for, to be able to create something beautiful. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah." I replied quietly.

"You okay?" She leaned on her elbow, looking up at me. "You sound a bit down."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

I wasn't though. She spoke with so much passion. Like Annabeth had. Gods, I missed her. And Thalia.

Gods.

I looked down at Mira. She was staring at me with disbelieving eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, looking away.

"Alright," Her voice shook slightly, as if she was unsure of her decision. " Just… Talk to me, okay?"

I smiled at her. "Yeah. Okay."

We relaxed again, the silence flowing back in, but this time it was okay. It wasn't awkward. Just quiet.

But the stillness was interrupted a second later.

"Boss!" Agrius burst through the doors. "Jackson's here."

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_So what did you think? Please review, I love hearing what you guys think! And thanks to ObsessedwReading__ for your review. _

_Au Revior._


	4. Chapter 4

_New chapter! _

_Thank you to AsianPrincess152 for favoriting, following, and reviewing, to ObsessedwReading for reviewing, and serenakuchiki for reviewing and following.  
_

_CAUTION__: This chapter contains swear words. Just a warning._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. Don't sue me. Please. This chapter also contains dialogue from the Sea of Monsters. I do not own any of the dialogue._

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**Mira P.O.V**

"You need to go."

Luke had already started to pull me off of the couch, and tugging me off the couch.

"Wait, why? Who's here?" I questioned as I trudged along behind him.

"Doesn't matter." He turned to face me, his face so pale that his scar almost matched tones. "I just need you to find Chris and stay with him. Don't come back until I come and get you."

"Wait, Luke!"

"Mira, please. Just listen to me!" He was frustrated, red splotches starting to grow on his neck. I pursed my lips before giving a small nod of consent. He sighed in relief as I pried his hand off of my arm and stomped out the room. "Just try to understand, Mira. Things happen."

I growled. _Hypocrite._

The door slammed shut behind me. I turned to stare at it, my eyes narrowing. Did he really think that I would look for Chris?"

I slipped into the cabin closest to the stateroom, leaving the door open just a crack. I sat up against the wall, waiting with hushed breaths for something to happen.

* * *

Nearly an hour had passed when they showed up. Two pre-teens, a girl and a boy, and a... a monster. I ignored it for now, seeing how timid it acted. The girl was just taller than the boy, maybe by half an inch. She had her blonde hair tied into a pony tail and stormy grey eyes. The boy had messy black hair, as if he had never discovered the comb. His eyes, though, I was so jealous of them. They were beautiful. Sea green, deep, mysterious, untamable eyes. They both wore orange T-shirts bearing a logo for some sort of camp.

The monster had one eye. He seemed a bit like a lamb. He was so timid, it was hard to believe that he had the same blood as the other creatures on this boat. Hard, but not impossible because then he did something strange.

"-the prophecy ourselves. The fools won't know which way to turn."

I had to hold in a gasp. The monster mimicked Luke perfectly, getting the tones, the cadences exactly right.

"You really think the old horseman is gone for good?" He was Agrius now, pretending to be the bear man.

His voice shifted again, fast enough for others to believe that it was two people having a steady conversation. "They can't trust him. Not with the skeletons in his closet. The poisoning of the tree was the final straw."

"Stop that, Tyson! How do you do that? It's creepy." The blonde girl was right. I could barely keep my screams in. How did he do this?

"Just listening." His natural voice was unsure, shyness lacing every word, like he was testing it, not quite sure if he was right or wrong.

"Keep going," The boy spoke up. They really needed to keep their voices down. If I could hear them, then Luke definitely could. "What else are they saying?"

He started again, with Agrius. "Quiet!" Then Luke's voice, whispering: "Are you sure?" Then Agrius again: "Yes, right outside."

The boy and girl stood there for a second, with a deer trapped in headlight's expression. The boy unfroze quickly, giving an unnecessary cry to run a second before the doors swung open.

Luke stood there, tall and handsome. But there was a definable evil about him. He had hid this side so easily earlier. Was it there the whole time?

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite cousins. Come right in."

The group stepped into the stateroom, slamming the doors behind them. I was scared. And it killed me that I couldn't hear their conversation. I slowly opened the door, wincing when a small creak was drawn out of the hinges. I crept up to the door, pressing one ear against the wood.

"Well," Luke said, pride tinting his voice. "A little nicer than Cabin Eleven, huh?"

_Cabin Eleven?_

He invited them to sit, but I heard no sofa springs popping. Agrius and Oreius were introduced. I could almost smell the fear waving off of the captives. I would be terrified if I were in their position.

"You don't know Agrius and Oreius's story?" Luke asked. "Their mother … well, it's sad, really. Aphrodite ordered the young woman to fall in love. She refused and ran to Artemis for help. Artemis let her become one of her maiden huntresses, but Aphrodite got her revenge. She bewitched the young woman into falling in love with a bear. When Artemis found out, she abandoned the girl in disgust. Typical of the gods, wouldn't you say? They fight with one another and the poor humans get caught in the middle. The girl's twin sons here, Agrius and Oreius, have no love for Olympus. They like half-bloods well enough, though …"

"For lunch," Agrius growled. His gruff voice was edged with hunger.

"Hehe! Hehe!" His brother Oreius laughed. I winced. He was so slow, it was hard not to feel bad for him.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Agrius growled. "Go punish yourself!"

A small whimper, then thudding sounds vibrating against the walls. Luke picked up again.

"Well, Percy, we let you survive another year. I hope you appreciated it. How's your mom? How's school?"

"You poisoned Thalia's tree."

Luke sighed. "Right to the point, eh? Okay, sure I poisoned the tree. So what?"

_Yeah,_ I wondered, _so what? It's just a tree._

"How could you?" The girl was yelling so loudly, I had to pull my ear away from the wood, lest I go deaf. "Thalia saved your life! Our lives! How could you dishonor her-"

"I didn't dishonor her!" Luke snapped. "The gods dishonored her, Annabeth! If Thalia were alive, she'd be on my side."

"Liar!"

"If you knew what was coming, you'd understand-"

"I understand you want to destroy the camp!" The girl, Annabeth, screamed. "You're a monster!"

"The gods have blinded you. Can't you imagine a world without them, Annabeth? What good is that ancient history you study? Three thousand years of baggage! The West is rotten to the core. It has to be destroyed. Join me! We can start the world anew. We could use your intelligence, Annabeth."

"Because you have none of your own!"

He was getting aggravated, his voice straining. "I know you, Annabeth. You deserve better than tagging along on some hopeless quest to save the camp. Half-Blood Hill will be overrun by monsters within the month. The heroes who survive will have no choice but to join us or be hunted to extinction. You really want to be on a losing team … with company like this?"

The monster. He was talking about the monster.

"Hey!" The boy cried. Why was he defending the beast?

"Traveling with a Cyclops," Luke chided. "Talk about dishonoring Thalia's memory! I'm surprised at you, Annabeth. You of all people-"

"Stop it!" she shouted.

They continued to banter, about the Cyclops, about the boy's father, about...

"Luke," The boy interrupted. "Listen to me. Your father sent us."

Luke's voice grew hot, his neck was probably turning red. Oh the anger. "Don't-even- mention him."

"He told us to take this boat. I thought it was just for a ride, but he sent us here to find you. He told me he won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are."

"Angry?" Luke roared. "Give up on me? He abandoned me, Percy! I want Olympus destroyed! Every throne crushed to rubble! You tell Hermes it's going to happen, too. Each time a half-blood joins us, the Olympians grow weaker and we grow stronger. He grows stronger."

"So?" The boy demanded. "What's so special …" Then it grew silent. A cold draft seemed to flow through me. They were talking about the casket. "Whoa, you don't mean-"

"He is re-forming," Luke said. "Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears-"

"That's disgusting!" Annabeth said. I fully agreed with her. They bantered again as I tuned them out, trying to organize the facts in my head.

Then I felt the clammy hand clamp onto my shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

* * *

**Luke P.O.V.**

"Join us and you'll be rewarded. We have powerful friends, sponsors rich enough to buy this cruise ship and much more. Percy, your mother will never have to work again. You can buy her a mansion. You can have power, fame-whatever you want. Annabeth, you can realize your dream of being an architect. You can build a monument to last a thousand years. A temple to the lords of the next age!" I tried to coax Annabeth. _Try to see things like me, please, just try. I don't think I can do this alone._

"Go to Tartarus," she said.

I couldn't show it. I didn't show it. But her words cut deep. "A shame." My voice didn't quaver. I wouldn't let it. I reached for the TV remote, about to press the red button, when the doors flung open.

A Laistrygonian giant marched into the room, gripping a petite figure in his over-sized hands. Her feet didn't quite touch the ground, she wiggled fruitlessly, trying to get free.

Mira.

Fear filled her eyes as she peered around the room, her terrified gaze landing on me. I wanted them to soften. _Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you_.

But they didn't. They grew wider, timidness engulfing them, her eyes seeming more black than brown. She let out a soft squeak as the giant squeezed her.

"I found her outside. Can I have her?" The giant was like a puppy, eager to please, but not quite sure when to stop. A bloodthirsty, man-eating puppy.

"Drop her."

"But boss-"

"_Drop her now._"

Mira shrieked as she was dropped to the floor, a sickening thud echoing through the room as she landed. I raced to her, ready to check for wounds, but she crawled away.

"Stay away!" She was scrambling to her feet, wincing as she put her weight on them.

"Mira, please!"

In the corner of my eye, I saw Annabeth whispering to Percy. Quickly, I pressed the red button, the mortal crew barging in. I barked the order for them to watch the trio.

"Mira," I turned to face her, pleading. "Please, just try to understand."

"Try to understand!" She was screaming. So loud. Too loud. "You want me to try to _understand_! Luke, I don't know if you're fucking aware of it or not, but you won't let me understand! You're forcing me to find this information by myself, and I'm trying _so hard_ to put myself into your shoes, but _I can't understand_ why you're like this! I try, I give you chances, but I don't know if I can keep doing this, deluding myself into thinking that you're normal, that you're not a monster."

I stared at her, the fury radiating off of her. Dangerous, feral. I couldn't please her, couldn't prove her wrong because she was right. I turned to Oreius. "It's time to feed the Aethiopian drakon. Take these fools below and show them how it's done." Oreius grinned stupidly. "Hehe! Hehe!"

"Let me go, too," Agrius grumbled. "My brother is worthless. That Cyclops-"

"Is no threat," I stated, glancing at Mira. She refused to look me in the eyes, instead staring out the window. "Agrius, stay here. We have important matters to discuss."

"But-"

"Oreius, don't fail me. Stay in the hold to make sure the drakon is properly fed."

Oreius prodded Jackson and the others out, making sure that the mortal crew followed him. The doors shut quietly behind them, the soft sound vibrating through the walls.

"Agrius. You and I both know that Oreius will fail. I know Jackson and Annabeth will find a way to escape. This is part of the plan. They will find the fleece and we will pretend to stop them, but it will be a ploy. Our real mission is to see that they get it back to camp." I waved my hand, noticing his questioning glance. "When Oreius comes back, I need you to tell him to punish himself, pretend that he has actually failed us. We cannot let him know of the plan. He is too dimwitted and has a huge blabbermouth. Do you understand?"

Agrius nodded. I waved him out, watching him until the door shut completely behind him.

"Mira," I turned to face her. She was staring out the window, a blank expression on her face. "If you listen, I will explain everything. I promise."

* * *

_The last part was a bit rushed, I needed to get this out. I bet you guys thought I was going to go on a swearing fest. _

_I'm never going to do that. I'm not too fond of swear words, so there will never be too many in a chapter, if not none._

_I hope you enjoyed it. Please review, favorite, or follow._

_P.S. If you notice any grammar mistakes, please tell me. I'm a terrible editor._


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello :)_

_First I'd like to thank xXDaniLynnXx for favoriting, JackFrost'sGirl for favoriting and following, CupacakesAndAlice for following and Captain113518931, LovePercyJackson, ObsessedwReading and the random Guest who's name I don't know for reviewing. _

_I'm not sure when I'll post again, so sorry if the next time is in, like, a month. I'm also thinking about changing the whole thing from 1st point of view into 3rd point of view. What do you guys think?_

_Anyways, enjoy :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. Duh._

* * *

**Mira P.O.V.**

"My mother could see through the mist." Luke slouched onto the couch, staring at me. I refused to look at him, curling up by the windows, staring out at the sea. He sighed, getting up, the cushion springs popping. He sat down across from me, his elbows on his knees. "Like you."

I rolled my eyes as I watched the waves crashing against the boat.

"I'm not really sure if she was always this way, but ever since I was a baby, she was... Well, insane. She'd these episodes, freak-out sessions, her eyes would turn green and her voice would get raspy. She'd say... She'd say the scariest things. It seems silly right now, but for a nine year old, it was incredibly terrifying. Imagine your own mother turning into some sort of... Monster."

"I could. If I had one." I whispered, leaning onto the window.

"Oh Gods," Luke scooted closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

I shrugged his arm off. "Just keep going."

He pursed his lips. "I couldn't help but think, maybe if Hermes was there, then maybe... I don't know, maybe mother wouldn't have been so crazy. But he never visited, never came to help. So I ran away. I met Thalia when I was twelve, and Annabeth when I was fourteen. We were a family. A few years ago, I went back home. Thalia was hurt, and we were running out of supplies. Get in, get out, that was the plan."

I slipped a glance at him, but he didn't notice. He had taken my original position, staring out the window.

"Hermes was there. He told me..." He took a deep breath, turning to face me. When he spoke, he seemed years younger, like he was a child again. "He told me that I had a terrible fate, but he wouldn't say what it was. After fourteen years of ignoring me, of ignoring my mother, he finally showed up, only to tell me that I would do something awful. Eventually Grover found us, he was supposed to keep us safe, but he failed. He was supposed to keep all of us safe, that was his job, but he failed, and Thalia died."

"Luke..."

"But is wasn't his fault. It was the Gods. If they cared about Thalia, they would have saved her, they would have done something, called off the monsters, I don't know! But they could have saved her, and they _didn't_. I was seventeen when Hermes had the nerve to speak to me again. He offered me a quest. _Steal a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides._"

"But... Hercules did it, right?" I questioned, quirking my eyebrow.

He sneered. "You sound exactly like Jackson. Yes, Hercules did it, but what's the glory in repeating somebody else's actions? Kronos came to me then, he offered me a deal. I would bring him back, and he would give me my revenge."

I gave him an incredulous look. Was he serious?

"Okay." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "First of all, I didn't understand half of what you told me. Who the hell is Grover? What does a tree have anything to do with all of this? But, honestly, right now, I don't care. Luke," I took his hand, rubbing it, "has anybody told you that if you're planning revenge, then you should dig two graves, one for your victim and yourself? Because you're setting up your own death right now."

He pulled his hand away, scowling at me. "This isn't funny. I'm being serious."

"God-s." I added the s after an afterthought. "Luke, I'm being serious, too. Kronos... He isn't... Gods, how do I say this? He's... He's using you! It's so obvious!"

"He is not! He promised me, he said-"

"It doesn't matter what he promised in the end, does it? Goddammit Luke, how dense are you really? He's a Titan, I've read the myths! Do you know what will happen to the mortals? To _me_!" I was speaking in normal tones, trying so hard not to shout, but Luke winced after each clipped sentence as if I was screaming at him.

An expression of guilt crossed his face, but it disappeared so quickly, I could almost believe that I'd imagined it. Almost.

"Luke, please, just try to understand-"

"-I do understand, I understand that you don't understand _me_! You think that I'm this monster, and maybe I am because I can't seem to find the proof that I'm not, but I have reasons for doing this-"

"-They're just incredibly _lame_ reasons. Honestly Luke, I'm sure that you believe your own lies, but I'm not buying your crap." We were having a stand-off, each refusing to back down. His eyes flared, but mine matched their intensity. "Kronos is using you, and when he's done chewing you up, he'll spit you out. You are nothing but a pawn and a fool for thinking that you are anything else."

For a scary moment, his eyes burned gold, like two small pockets of flames. "Get out." His voice was cold and not his own. Darker, older, like the voice in my head, but it quickly changed back, and I had to wonder who Luke really was, or who he was pretending to be. "_Get out_. Go stay with the mortals. I don't want to see you here anymore."

"Why?" I was challenging him. A stupid, stupid idea. "Why do you not want to see me anymore? Open your eyes Luke, and stop hiding from the light because the darkness you're sheltered in is doing _nothing_ to save you! It's seeping into you. I don't know who you were, but I know who you are around me, and I'm stubborn this way, but I believe that is the _real_ you. Luke, please I'm trying to help you!"

"_Get out_!" He had stood up as well, his sword unsheathed, pointed in an unwavering stance at the door. "_Now_!"

I curled my lip, looking at him in disgust. "You're killing yourself, Luke. Yourself and the world. Destruction will follow you and there is nothing you can do because you have chosen this path."

* * *

**Luke P.O.V.**

The slamming doors seemed to ring louder than the voice in my head.

_Luke_, Kronos was calling me back, _listen to me. The mortal is nothing, she is just a-_

"-I know, I know." I whispered, stopping him. "She is nothing."

_What have I said about interruptions? What have I said, Luke?_

"Sorry, master." I muttered, sliding Backbitter back into its sheath. "It won't happen again."

_Of course it will not. _His final words were short and clipped before his presence in my mind disappeared. I stared at the sarcophagus, mulling over Mira's words. _  
_

_You're killing yourself... Chosen this path... Real you... Hiding from the light._

"Gods." I pulled away from the casket, feeling its grasp on me, pulling me in. I needed to get out of this room, off this ship. "Gods."

I burst out of the room, disrupting the silence on the other side, gasping for breath. It was like the room had been suffocating me. I crumpled to the floor as Kronos's words battled with Mira's. Gods. Gods. _Gods._

* * *

_Eww. I really don't like this chapter. Sorry for the late update and for the future late ones. _

_And for the sucky chapter._

_Okay, bye. Please review._


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